September 23
Corvallis Gazette-Times editorial
When considering statewide ballot Measure 27, don't get caught
up in the debate over whether food should be genetically engineered.
That's not what this measure concerns. If you want to buy and eat
genetically engineering food, be our guest.
What it's about is whether consumers should be made aware of the
ingredients of the food products they buy. We believe they should.
Nutrition and ingredient labels have become commonplace on the
packages of the foods we buy. We don't see any reason why it shouldn't
also be noted that the food has been created through some process
that included genetic engineering.
Then let consumers decide whether they want to buy the product.
While opponents may contend the opposite, we don't see how this
requirement will unduly burden those whose primary goal is making
a profit by serving consumers. Make a better product and consumers
will buy it.
In addition, those who market food already contend with numerous
rules in the distribution and labeling of their products; this law
would only apply to those products that should be labeled already
anyway.
We're looking forward to the campaign against Measure 27 because
we can't see an ethical basis for not supporting such common-sense
legislation. We only wish the federal Food and Drug Administration
had done its job and made this an industry requirement before consumers
had to take the initiative.
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